Thanks, lots of good ideas I can try here in Australia, particularly in the weeks when every day is 100F+. I have installed an old single wooden bed in my coop, and then laid old wooden sleepers (about 4" thick) crossways across it, giving the girls a 6' x 6' space to cluster under when it gets really hot. I water the area down in the morning, so the soil is really damp, and the sleepers give really good protection from the sun. I also find that my girls hate being misted or sprayed with water, but are happy to stand out in the rain and get soaking wet - strange ways of chickens!
